Ever Since Then I've Loved You
by TeamIDontCare
Summary: James has loved Teddy for years, but he's never noticed. Now that Teddy has finally gotten rid of Victorie, will he notice his lovesick god brother?


Teddy sighed and rubbed his forehead. He had just officially divorced his wife, or ex-wife now, Victorie, and he was depressed. He had loved Vic, more than words could say. But there had been another man, and when Teddy asked her to choose, she chose the other man.

He had lost his house, which was a bigger than average house. He was now only allowed to his precious son and daughter only every other weekend. At least he had gotten a more than fair amount of money, and his golden retriever, Rufus. He was now sharing an apartment with his god brother, James; he was twenty but good company. He and Fred had offered to take him out to some bar for a drink or two to get his mind of her, but he wasn't going to do that. He wasn't going to try and drink it all away, he'd already decided that.

It was tempting though. No doubt partying all night with those two would've been fun, but Teddy didn't want to slow them down. He lost his entire partying mood after his kids had been born, and he knew James and Fred were probably the rowdiness two people in the Wizarding Community. So he stayed behind. He thought later he'd go to Harry's and maybe visit him, Ginny, and Lily, though the chances of her being home were slime, she had just graduated from Hogwarts and had plenty of friends. Teddy wasn't completely sure if she was even still living with her parents.

He sighed and went into the bedroom, only to find it was the wrong bedroom. He was so lost in his thoughts he accidently wandered into James' room. He looked around; he'd never been in there before. The place was as messy as the rest of the apartment had been when he had first moved there and before anyone had bothered cleaning it. His clothes were strewn over the floor and it had an odd smell to it. The bed wasn't made; actually most of the pillows and sheets had fallen into the floor around the bed. Several comics and books were left at random all over the place along with other stuff that Teddy wasn't quite sure what was. The only tidy part was his side table that had an alarm clock, his glasses (he wore contacts everywhere except work), and two pictures. The first was of Teddy, Lily, James and Albus. Teddy was only fifteen at the time, and was carrying Lily in his arms. Ten and nine year old James and Al were standing in front of them with their arms slung across the other's shoulders. The other picture was just of Teddy and James, the night after James had graduated. They had gone out drinking that night and... And... Teddy really couldn't remember what happened after that. Oh well, it had been Teddy's graduation present to James and he enjoyed himself.

Teddy left the room and stumbled across the hall to his room. He changed into his night clothes, only to find he wasn't tired enough for sleep yet. He went back into the living room and began flipping through the channels on the Muggle TV James owned. He remembered the picture and thought about how he had meant to ask James what had happened that night. Well, if he had been too drunk to remember, than James probably had been, too.

That idiot. That crazy amber eyed, blue haired idiot. How oblivious to another's feelings could you get? First with Vic, and it had been completely obvious that she had been cheating on him. He found another man's boxers on his bedroom floor and didn't suspect a thing. Then with James himself, who had been trailing after him for three years and Teddy still thought he was a girl-crazed party animal who ran through women like most people go through peanut butter. Or like peanut butter obsessed people go through peanut butter.

James sighed and slammed down the drink he'd been chugging for the last fifteen minutes. Not too far away, Fred was making out with some raven haired whore who seemed more interested in the wallet sticking out of his back pocket than anything. Or she could just like his ass, you never know.

He sighed and paid the bartender then told Fred he was calling it a night.

"You sure? You've barely done anything except drinking couple beers," he said over the girl's shoulder.

"Yeah. Just not in the mood tonight, I guess," Fred nodded then turned his attention back on the girl.

When James walked through the door, Teddy was sitting in the living room on the couch watching TV. He looked up when James entered the room and smiled, his hair turning a brighter green then the one he'd previously been sporting.

"Thought you'd be gone all night?" he asked.

James shrugged, "I changed my mind. What are you watching?"

On the screen was a really pale dude who looked constipated with big bronze hair. He was with some shy looking girl that had long dark brown hair and brown eyes. They were in this forest that had really tall trees and everything was overly green. The guy was talking to the girl, and while his words were threatening, his body language said otherwise.

"Oh. It's this old move called Twilight. It used to be a big deal, especially with muggle teenage girls."

"Is it a good movie?" it looked like some lame romantic thing to James.

"No, at least not to me anyway. I doubt you'd like it either. Most guys don't."

"Why are you watching it?"

Teddy frowned, "I don't know. I was just going through the channels and saw it and stopped."

"Well keep going!"

He looked at James then turned the Television off. "Are you hungry?"

"What?"

"Your stomach just growled. Really loud, too. Didn't you hear it?"

James shook his head. He hadn't been paying attention to his stomach, not when Teddy was sitting so close to him.

"What do you want to eat?"

"Anything you want, I guess."

Teddy flicked his wand and in the kitchen James heard the scrapping of pots and cabinets opening and closing. "Hope you like Mexican."

While they ate they talked and James kept on managing to make Teddy choke on his food with laughter. James still had alcohol coursing through his system, impairing his better judgment; he reached across the table and grabbed Teddy's hand.

Teddy looked at their hands and smiled at James. James smiled back across the table with a lazy, flirtasous look. Teddy used his other hand to pick up his taco and take a bite. James hadn't held his hand since he was a toddler and he had never seen James look at a man like that before. Teddy himself had once gone after men. But that was before he married Vic and they had broken up for a couple of months. Teddy knew ever since then he still had the hots for men even if he was married to a woman. There was nothing wrong with liking both sexes. But James, as far as he knew, James was completely straight and had never even gone through a stage of being curious of homosexuality. So what was that about?

"You know Ted," Teddy looked up to see James was still looking at him, "you should wear your hair turquoise or purple all the time."

"Really?"

"Yes. Royal purple, it brings out your eyes."

Teddy frowned, since when did James know the difference between royal purple and regular purple? Ted knew he had drank while he had been out, maybe that was why he was acting strange.

"You should try it now," James prompted, rubbing Teddy's hand in between his fingers.

Teddy hesitated and turned his hair a rich shade of purple.

"Ah, beautiful," James sighed, using his free hand to play with Teddy's hair.

"James, are you alright?"

James' eyes moved from Teddy's hair and stared into his own eyes. "Yeah, why wouldn't I be?"

"You're just acting different."

"Do you like it better than the way I usually act?" he asked innocently.

Teddy stared at him gob smacked. Did James just ask if he was interested in him? _Was_ he interested in James? Teddy had never thought about it before, he was five years older than him and his father's godson. But even Teddy had to admit James was extremely handsome, strong jaw, high cheekbones, silky reddish brown hair and warm chocolate brown eyes, it was no wonder every girl was dying to have sex with him. His lean body helped too. James was a funny, kind, care free spirit that secretly dearly loved everyone around him. Teddy would have to be stupid to not be interested, but what would Harry do? Or any other member of James' family?

Teddy decided to simply answer, "Maybe."

James grinned seductively and stalked around the table to sit next to him. He then proceeded to wrap his arms around Teddy's neck and kiss him and the lips. It was like heaven, Teddy felt fireworks go off in the back of his head and he kissed back lightly. James stood up and pulled Teddy to his feet without braking contact and continued to pull him towards the hall with the bedrooms.

Teddy pulled back, "James-"

"What's wrong? Don't you want to?"

Teddy frowned, James was barely even tipsy when he got home, and why was he so drunk now? He looked back down on the table and saw the drink James had been drinking and realized it was more alcohol. Then he remembered James had already refilled it twice.

"You know me, James; I'm not one for one night stands or sex on the first night. And we aren't really-"

"Didn't stop you the last time did it?"

"What?" Teddy was confused, what did he mean by 'last time?'

James pulled away from Teddy's body and drained the rest of the bottle sitting on the table.

"Oh, right, you were too drunk to remember. Is that the only reason you did it with me?" James looked purely depressed at the thought whatever happened between the two of them had only happened because Teddy had had too much to drink.

"I-I did it with you? Like, _it_?"

"Yes. You really don't remember? The night you took me out to celebrate my graduation?"

Teddy remembered the picture and not being able to remember what happened. He looked at James. It was true, he was attracted to him, and if he had too much to drink, then he would probably make advances on him...

"No, it wasn't just because of the alcohol, I kissed you just know didn't I? It's just because of the alcohol I went too far with you."

James looked up. He had held his head down ever since he asked if Ted had only had sex with him because he was drunk. "So, you do like me?"

"Yes, but, I'm not doing this with you."

"Why not? I like you, you like me, what's the problem?" James really didn't understand? He was usually the quickest to realize another's motive and hidden feelings, the exact opposite of Teddy. He couldn't even figure out his own god brother's sexual orientation.

"Because it's just a passing thing for you. You wouldn't even think about it if you hadn't drunk all that and I wasn't the only person around. I told you, James, I can't do one night stands-"

"Or one night stands you can remember?" glared James.

"It's different, if I remember I'll become attached, I know this from personal experience, and it hurts because you don't mean a thing for the other person. And with you, I'll see you every day and you'll become disgusted-"

James cut him off again, only this time with a kiss. "Theodore Remus Lupin, ever since that one night when _you _were drunk and it was just a one night stand to _you _and I didn't mean a thing to _you _and you didn't even remember..." his voice trailed off and he looked away.

Teddy caught his face between his two hands and made him look back into his own face, "James...?"

"Ever since then I've loved you..."

Teddy looked at him stunned. That was three years ago and he still had feelings for Teddy. "Do you still love me?"

James nodded reluctantly, not wanting to tell the truth but unwilling to lie to Ted.

To his surprise, Teddy kept his hands on James' face and kissed him again and began pulling him to the bedrooms, "That changes things then. I can live with sex on the first night," he whispered into his ear.

James started to go into his own room, but Teddy pulled him away. "No offense, but I am not sleeping in that pig pen."

James and kissed Teddy another time, slamming the door to Ted's bedroom behind him.

_ James still had alcohol coursing through his system, impairing his better judgment; he reached across the table and grabbed Teddy's hand._

As soon as his godson's son grabbed Teddy's hand, Sirius Black yelled for James, Lily, Tonks, and Remus. Fred and Severus were already with him in the viewing room.

"What do you want, Padf- Bloody hell!" exclaimed Prongs.

On the screen showing what was going on below, James was playing with Teddy's now purple hair and looking at him lovingly.

"Shush! Sit down and watch," said Fred, who was very interested in finding out how this all ended.

Once James kissed Teddy the first time, Snape took the smart route and left. After what had happened the night Teddy had gotten drunk with James after he graduated was revealed, Fred lost all interest and left, too.

When James and Teddy went into the latter's bedroom, the screen thankfully didn't follow them. It showed their empty hallway for a while, then changed to the party that Albus, Rose, Scorpius, Lily, Hugo, Roxanne, Lucy, and Lysander where at. Prongs, who didn't want to see his only granddaughter making out with a Malfoy, turned the Viewer off.

Sirius turned to the two couples and, "So, if they were to get married-"

"Don't start, Sirius," glared Remus.

"But-"

Tonks snarled at him, "Shut it."

"What's wrong with that? They're happy aren't they? So what if they're gay with each other?" asked Lily. Surely Tonks and Remus weren't going to be mad about that.

"Lily's right, there's nothing wrong with it, just shocking," agreed Prongs.

"No it's not that, that's not it it's just-"

Sirius cut Tonks off, "They bet against me they wouldn't."

Then Tonks punched him across the head, "I said shut it, you haven't won yet, they're just going out!"

Lily looked at them angrily and James looked amused.

"You two actually bet against Sirius on whether your son and my grandson would get married or not?" he asked.

They nodded.

At that moment, Fred stepped into the room, "Are they gone? Did they have sex?"

Sirius laughed, "I believe so, but it didn't show it."

Fred walked back out of the room, his face turning a light green that did not go well with his red hair, and Sirius, James, and Remus laughed at his retreating back.

"I wonder what Snivellus' reaction was?" barked Sirius.

He and James started to get up from their seats, only to be stopped by Lily and Remus.

"James, don't start all that again!"

"Honestly, Sirius, don't you think we're about too old for that?"

"No."

"Well, we are, so get over it!"

James and Sirius sulked, while Remus and Lily glowered at them, and Tonks laughed.

The next day, James and Teddy sat on the couch in the living room with James in Teddy's lap and Teddy's arms around James. As they flipped through the channels, they heard a knock on the door and it opened immediately after.

"Lily! Don't just go in, what if they're not awake!"

"Oh please, Fred said that James went home early last night and it's almost nine thirty! If James' isn't awake, then Teddy is."

It was then that Lily and Albus Potter caught sight of their eldest brother and god brother. Noticing the way they were sitting, each of their cheeks turned a bright red.

"Lily, Albus! What are you doing?" snapped James from his position on Teddy's lap.

Albus spoke first, "We just stopped by to see how things were. How Teddy is, because last night the divorce became official-"

"But, it seems as if Teddy isn't upset about it at all," said Lily with a smirk.

Teddy pulled James off of him and stood up. "Look, I know you're mad, you probably don't want us to be gay, and I moved on so fast after Vic, and all, but-"

"Teddy, we're not mad," said Albus.

"You aren't?"

"Well, we are, but not why you think."

"And why should we be upset you moved on so fast after Vic? I'm glad you did, that slut isn't worth your time of day. She cheats on my god brother, divorces him and takes his house, gets married to the guy he cheated with my brother on, and then has the nerve to ask me to be a bridesmaid! She's lucky I don't come to the wedding to destroy it right before vows!"

"She- They- They're getting _married?"_ Teddy couldn't believe this. Sure, Ted had hooked up with James, but planning a wedding right after the divorce, that is completely different.

"Yes, but only because he got her pregnant. See, my eldest cousin is a slut, I am ashamed."

"But, then why are you mad, if it's not because of all that?" asked James.

Albus answered, "Because you didn't tell us! You didn't even tell us you were like that, not that we care, but still! How long have you been going behind our backs about this?"

"We haven't, and we were going to tell you of course, we just got together last night," assured James.

"Oh," said Lily, "then we're not mad at all. We brought breakfast, too."

Sure enough, in Albus' hand was a Subway bag.

"Subway?" laughed Teddy.

"What!" frowned Albus. _"Everybody _likes Subway! And I got your favorites!"

"And two of every kind of cookie they had!" said Lily in a sing song voice.

James and Teddy rolled their eyes and the four siblings sat down and ate together.

"You know, though," said Lily and she ate her Meatball Marinara, "it really isn't us you need to worry about."

"Then who?" asked Teddy and James at the same time.

"Mum and Dad," Albus answered for his little sister.

James paled and Teddy grimaced.

"Don't forget all of our cousins, aunts, uncles, and the grandparents," reminded Lily.

She and Albus laughed while Teddy and James groaned at the reactions they knew they were going to get.

_**A/N- So, what do you think? I've kind of always liked this couple, and I've wanted to write a slash for a long time. I was thinking maybe writing another short story of Teddy and James announcing their relationship at the next family reunion, but I'm not sure. Only if I get lots and lots of good reviews. **_


End file.
